Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[Wishing4Wings]

Buy an incubator.

No one likes to hatch alone!

 

[chirpingcricket]

  No one likes to hatch alone! 

Hello everyone....still following along, great job on hatches!

I had a hen go broody so let her have at it with 14 eggs, now at 12 days.

Thinking half are not fertile, but she was a great mama on her 1st hatch this spring. She's a Columbian Wyandotte sitting on EE eggs. I heard they were good brooders, she's making me a believer! Want to candle, just concerned with disturbing the nest.

Last time she pushed eggs away from her about this time or a bit later on, forgot...
In my ignorance, I would put them back up under her and she would fuss at me. Turned out, she was right and those 3 eggs were quitters. She hatched the remaining 7.

This time, she lets me pet her back a bit, without screaming, gets off the nest every couple of days, does her business, eats a bite, drinks water, takes a quick dust bath and back to the nest she goes. I guess she's teaching me this time around and I'm determined to follow her program....although I'm still a bit jumpy. I also keep a small dish of water and a bit of feed in with her to take as she chooses. Probably comforts me more than her. Keep reminding myself to just watch and learn.

Thanks to you and this thread, I'm a bit more reassured, I think. heehee

Sooo, not leaving well enough alone, went ahead and set 2 dozen eggs in the 'bator.... Telling myself and DH that I need to hone in my hatching skills using Ms. Clessie (broody hen) as my instuctor. What can I say, the fever hits and the chicken math continues on......

I'm usually online later in the evening, but enjoy having the opportunity to follow along with you and feeling a part of the chicken family.
Chirp

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Hi Chirp! Best wishes on the hatching. I have a Wyandotte (but a hatchery girl) and she has never shown the slightest interest in being broody. In fact, I have only seen her on the nest laying a few times. She does her business and gets right up. I think broodies are rare in the hatchery birds.

Now my ditzy buff Ameraucana (wheaten Am cross) has been broody to the point of emaciation, the poor thing. I was soooo tempted to let her hatch out some Serama eggs, but when I really looked at the size difference, I decided I couldn't handle mashed babies.

The Serama pullet laying the eggs is about the size of a 5 week old large fowl chick, so you can imagine the teeny tiny chicks. Really hoping one of the Seramas will be broody (they are known for it) so I can avoid the incubator addiction.

What kind of eggs did you set to incubate, more EEs? Love EEs!

 

[chirpingcricket]

Hi Chirp!  Best wishes on the hatching.  I have a Wyandotte (but a hatchery girl) and she has never shown the slightest interest in being broody.  In fact, I have only seen her on the nest laying a few times.  She does her business and gets right up.  I think broodies are rare in the hatchery birds.

Now my ditzy buff Ameraucana (wheaten Am cross) has been broody to the point of emaciation, the poor thing.  I was soooo tempted to let her hatch out some Serama eggs, but when I really looked at the size difference, I decided I couldn't handle mashed babies.     The Serama pullet laying the eggs is about the size of a 5 week old large fowl chick, so you can imagine the teeny tiny chicks.  Really hoping one of the Seramas will be broody (they are known for it) so I can avoid the incubator addiction.

What kind of eggs did you set to incubate, more EEs?  Love EEs!

Hey, thanks for quick reply, love the west coast time!

On the Serama's going broody. I told myself last spring after the mad hatching fever ran it's course, no more 'bating for the remainder of the year!
I named the CW after my Mom, so maybe that's why she's so dedicated...errr, the hen, well. err, my Mom...err well you get the picture! heehee

Yes, I'm like a mad/happy scientist with those EE's, just love the mixing of colors, much less the colorful egg basket. Makes them a delight to sell (the eggs, I guess eventually, this fall the chicks/pullets too).
Kinda like a box of chocolates, just never know what you are going to get!

Chirp

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Loved all the pics and all the broody hatches, I hope to be able to let some of the birds hatch their own next year. Its been so crazy here, Hardly getting on BYC lately. Just not enough hours in the day. Hope everyone is well.
Cheeka, just love mylee on the lil bike, she will remember that forever.
W4W that link on the glass bakeware bator is just amazing.
OK, I think they are changing stuff on the forum, I had a few times I couldn't even get online, and when I did it was a picture of chicken little with the sky falling, too cute!!
Oh my, the hatching fever has really taken hold. I see I am amongst some of the most severely infected chicken math carriers.
I hatch every week, still! Just chickens, guinea, and quail now tho. I am taking a slow down and actually sold several birds the last 2 weeks! One couple bought 14 guinea and wanted a lavender orp rooster!

Fellow BYCer came and got 2 of my EE pullets, and I had 12 GLW pullets leave this weekend.
i had a whopping 1 chicken egg, 1 guinea and 2 quail eggs today. We laid 4

.
Everyone I talk to is having a mass slowdown. Has to be the weird weather.
I have a turkey poult that's psycho! This lil guy is 8 days old, and viciously attacks me, not joking! I don't know what to think about it. Charges up, grabs my fingers bites twists yikes! So i picked him up, looks to be perfectly normal. He had a weak leg at hatch but is doing great now. Not attacking the other chicks. Guess will see how he is the next few weeks. I have 2 Palm eggs left and turkeys are done this year. They hatch this week.

 

[cheeka]

well you beat me JC, I only got 3... I needed two dozen yesterday and I only had a grand total of 9... so my customers are piling up on a waiting list... Ha! now there are even more people waiting it out!

 

[lindz8504]

3 fluffies and a pip for me this morning, and Clarabelle was still on the nest! I actually let everyone out early this morning so maybe she would feel more comfortable. The newest chick was still a little damp and very tired. I am thinking that maybe I should make some electrolyte to put in their water. What do you all think? Below is the link I found for home made electrolyte.


http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com/2012/07/hot-weather-acidosis-and-homemade.html

 

[Wishing4Wings]

3 fluffies and a pip for me this morning, and Clarabelle was still on the nest! I actually let everyone out early this morning so maybe she would feel more comfortable. The newest chick was still a little damp and very tired. I am thinking that maybe I should make some electrolyte to put in their water. What do you all think? Below is the link I found for home made electrolyte.


http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com/2012/07/hot-weather-acidosis-and-homemade.html

Way to go Clarabelle!

A broody with good instincts can't be beat.

Thanks for the link, it looks great and I'm going to try the solution today. It will probably be good for your chicks too. Sugar water can give a weak one that little energy boost it needs to get going. We haven't had too bad of a summer, until last week when the temps shot up, and it didn't cool back down at night. Couple of the girls were panting and wings out even an hour after sundown. Kind of like having walking stewed chicken.

Cool and foggy this morning which means afternoon temps will be about 15* cooler. Yay!

 

[Wishing4Wings]

I am getting what will be my last shipment of eggs at the end of this month. BCM's. I forgot how many I ordered, it has been so long! They will be shipped eggs and I have had mixed luck with them. Although I currently have 10 BCM's that I picked up at the auction 2 months ago, because I couldn't possibly wait until September.

Not sure I could do a broody for the hatching though. I like to see them developing. I do like the broody raising them though!

Good luck with the rest of your hatchlings!

Sully, I read one time that the really dark eggs are more difficult to hatch because the extra brown coating clogs the shell pores and they get less oxygen. Have you ever heard this? Supposedly, this also makes them more susceptible to damage from shipping, and hatch rates tend to be low. A BCM and OE (olive egger) are on my list for the future, but I will probably get hatched pullets. Don't know what I'd do with all the cockerels otherwise, but word is that BCMs are one of the tastier breeds if you are willing to process. I'm too wimpy.

 

[lindz8504]

Way to go Clarabelle!

A broody with good instincts can't be beat.

Thanks for the link, it looks great and I'm going to try the solution today. It will probably be good for your chicks too. Sugar water can give a weak one that little energy boost it needs to get going. We haven't had too bad of a summer, until last week when the temps shot up, and it didn't cool back down at night. Couple of the girls were panting and wings out even an hour after sundown. Kind of like having walking stewed chicken.

Cool and foggy this morning which means afternoon temps will be about 15* cooler. Yay!

http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com/2012/09/diy-make-your-own-apple-cider-vinegar.html

I am not sure if any of you use ACV with the mother but here is a link from the same place for home made! It sure beats $25 for the store bought stuff!
This is one of my favorite blogs related to chickens! I check it every day just like I do BYC!